Folding shelf



(No Model.)

H. 0. REYNOLDS.

FOLDING SHELF.

No. 495,910. Patented Apr. 18, 1893 I aranz C RgiaoZr/J UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM CYRUS REYNOLDS, OF ADDISON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGEMOURHESS, OF PRESHO, NEW YORK.

FOLDING SHELF.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,910, dated April18, 1893.

Application filed January 10, 1893- Serial No. 457,933., (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM CYRUS REY- NOLDS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Addison, in the county of Steuben and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Folding Shelf, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a folding shelf adapted to be secured orpositioned against a wall or other suitable vertical support, and hasfor its object to provide a simple and convenient device of thecharacter set forth that is adapted to be quickly and readily placed inposition-and operated to raise and lower the same; and with this objectin View, the invention consists of the construction and arrangement ofthe parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is aperspective View of the improved shelf,shown raised and ready for use in full lines and lowered in dottedlines. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan viewof the table or shelf, showing someof the parts broken away and a portion of the supports or arms inconnection therewith. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section on theline 02-00, Fig. 1, and on a larger scale. Fig. 4 is a detialperspective view of one of the parts detached.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in theseveral figures.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a suitable frame,preferably formed with an opening at the bottom thereof, and

an upper shelf 2, and at a suitable distance below said shelf ishingedly attached a shelf or table 3. To the lower portion of the sidesof the frame 1 are pivotally connected the lower ends of supports orarms 4, having grooves 5on the inner opposing sides thereof thatterminate in lower circular openings 6. The opposite ends of the shelfor table 3 are provided with studs 7, that are movably fitted within thegrooves 5, and when the said studs reach the openings 6, in folding thesaid shelf or table 3 downwardly, they automatically force the saidsupports or arms backward and within the ends of the frame 1 and form acompact structure that is without material exterior projection. The endportions of the Shelf or'table 1 are provided with depending cleats 8,that have slots 9 extending therethrough, and adjacent to and aligningwith the said slots 9, and located on the under side of the said shelfor table are grooves or recesses 10,that extend longitudinallyof thesaidshelfortableinward toward theceuter thereof. A pair oflongitudinally-disposed catch-bars 11 are slidingly mounted against theunder side of the shelf or table 3 and have metallic 5o catch-strips 12fixed to the upper sides thereof and projecting into the grooves orrecesses 10, the said catch-strips 12 having their ends normallyprojecting through the slots 9 in the cleats 8. Theinner ends of thesaid catch-bars 6 5 11 have transversely-disposed operating arms 13secured thereto, and are slightly recessed on their outer faces adjacentto their front ends so that they may be readily engaged by the fingersof the hand of the operator, and at their rear ends the said arms havethe two free ends of an elongated U-shaped spring 14 secured to theinner opposing sides thereof, the said spring having a coil 15 in thebend thereof and secured at said point to the un der side of the saidshelf or table 3. The action of the spring 14 is to normally throw thecatch-bars, together with their catch-strips, outward equally toward theopposite ends of the said shelf or table 3, and to hold the said Socatch-bars in proper position they are passed through metallic loopedguides 16, against which the said arms 13 are adapted to press and limitthe outward movement of the said catch-bars against the tension of thespring 14. Centrally between the said arms 13, and extending in the samedirection as the latter, is a stationary stop-strip 17, that is fixed tothe under side of the table and limits the inward movement of the saidarms when oper- 9o ated to draw the said catch-bars and theircatch-strips inwardly, and also serve to indicate that the saidcatch-strips are sufficiently drawn inward to permit the shelf or table3 to be lowered. The upper ends of the sup- 5 ports or arms 4 arecovered with a metallic sheathing or wear-strip 1S, and on top of thesaid arms or supports the said catch-strips are adapted to bear andsupport the shelf or table 3 in elevated position.

In operating the catch-bar to release the catch-strips from the topportions of the arms IOO or supports 4, the arms 13 are simultaneouslycompressed toward each other, or drawn inward, by the hand of theoperator and against the action of the spring 14, when the said shelf ortable 3 may be lowered and folded closely down against the front of theframe, and simultaneously move the supports or arms 4 backward withinthe ends of the frame, as heretofore set forth. In raising the shelf ortable the catch-strips are held against the inner opposing sides of thearms or supports 4, until the top portions of the latter are reached,when the said catch-strips are automatically forced outward over andrest upon the upper ends of the said supports or arms 4, and therebysupport the shelf or table 3.

While it will be understood that the device heretofore set forth may beused wherever desired, and for any purpose for which it may bepractically adapted, it is intended to be preferably employed inkitchens, and in view of its convenient arrangement and operation itwill be particularly useful in this' locality. It will be furtherunderstood that the support or frame 1 may be varied in its natureatwill and to suit the position in which the shelf or table is mounted.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificingany of the advantages of this invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In adevice of the character set forth, the combination of a frame orsupport, a shelf or table hingedly connected thereto, supports or armspivotally attached to the opposite ends of said frame or support,andapair of springaotuated catch-strips projecting from the op positeends of the said shelf or table and adapt ed to engage the top portionof the said supports or arms, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a frame, apair of supports or arms pi votally connected to the opposite ends ofsaid frame and having grooves on the inner faces thereof, a table orshelf hingedly connected to said frame, and having studs to engage saidgrooves a pair of catch-bars slidingly mounted against the underside ofsaid table or shelf, catch-strips attached to the outer ends of saidcatch-bars and normally projecting beyond the ends of the table orshelf, said catch-strips conjointly acting with the catch-bars andarranged to bear on the upper edge of said supports or arms and a springfor normally holding the said catchbars and catch-strips carried therebyforced outwardly, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a frame, apair of supports or arms pivotally connected to the opposite ends ofsaid frame, a shelf or table hingedly connected to said frame a pair ofspring-actuated catch-bars with transversely-extending arms secured tothe inner ends thereof and having catch-strips at the outer ends of thesame, and a stationary stop-strip secured to the under side of the saidshelf or table, substantially as described.

at. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a frame,a shelf or table hingedly connected thereto, supports or arms pivotallyattached to the opposite ends of said frame and having grooves on theinner faces thereof, the said table having pins or studs projecting fromthe opposite ends thereof that engage the said grooves of the saidsupports or arms, a pair of catch-bars slidingly attached to the underside of the said shelf or table having arms attached to the inner endsthereof and at right angles thereto, and catch-strips secured to theouter ends thereof adapted to take over the top ends of the saidsupports or arms when the shelf or table is raised, a spring having theends thereof secured to the rearinner opposing ends of the said arms onthe catch-bars, and a stationary stop-strip located centrally betweenthe said arms on the catchbars, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

I-IIRAM CYRUS REYNOLDS.

\Vitnesses:

G. C. MANLEY, E. P. SEAMAN.

